BOSTON -- The focus of the probation trial shifted Friday from the judicial branch to the Legislature, as an aide to Senate President Therese Murray described lobbying for and tracking the hiring of Patrick Lawton, who lost his probation job two years after he was hired because of a drug arrest.

Testifying with an Aug. 12, 2011 court order granting her immunity, Murray aide Francine Gannon said “one of my responsibilities” handling constituent services for the Senate president was helping constituents obtain state jobs.

Gannon kept detailed notes on the status of the job-seekers. In written correspondence introduced at court, Lawton was effusive praising Murray and her aide as he sought work at a variety of state agencies, settling on a probation officer job at a family court where his grandfather had been a presiding judge.

“I just wanted to stop by and personally thank you for your assistance with my job search. Your kindness will always be remembered by me. I wish you all the best!” Lawton said in a handwritten note to Murray dated March 26, 2008.

Judge William Young has periodically reminded the jury in the federal racketeering and mail fraud case that patronage is not illegal, and is not the subject of the mail fraud and racketeering charges. Prosecutors are attempting to show that a sham hiring process was mere cover for a system where jobs were offered to the powerful in exchange for “political currency.”

Former Probation Commissioner John O’Brien and two of his former deputies, Elizabeth Tavares and William Burke, have pled not guilty.

Earlier in the day Friday, Plymouth Probate and Family Court Judge Catherine Sabaitis testified that she had previously misremembered her chief probation officer in 2008, Michael LaFrance, inflating Lawton’s score.

“I had thought he did. I stand corrected after reading my notes,” said Sabaitis. Both Sabaitis and LaFrance said Lawton appeared anxious and unprepared in his interview, and after not making a list of eight finalists, Frank Campbell, a former probation official, allegedly said the list of finalists should be expanded to 10 to include him. Lawton was eventually hired.

Though Sabaitis said she had known Lawton since he was a baby, was friendly with his parents and received the endorsement of his grandfather when she was up for a judgeship, none of Lawton’s family members reached out to her as he was seeking a job at the Brockton court where she presided.

Mark Lawton, who was then a judge and former representative, had channeled his support through Murray’s office.

“I know that Jack O’Brien takes very seriously calls from your office where there’s a strong interest on the part of the Senate President. Francine, I need your help & assistance,” Mark Lawton wrote to Gannon in a March 11, 2008 email. Mark Lawton had earlier written, “Please accept my deep appreciation for your genuine kindness and willingness to reach out and touch our lives. You’re great!”

Page 2 of 3 - Gannon, who said she believes Murray and Lawton’s mother, Patricia, were friends, responded a day later, writing Murray “will do all she can do” to assist the job search. Gannon said the request had been referred to her by Kevin O’Reilly, a former Murray aide. Gannon said she believes O’Reilly was Murray’s campaign manager at the time.

Originally Lawton expressed interest in a range of state jobs, with his first choice being a hearing officer in the Brockton Registry of Motor Vehicles. A law school graduate, Lawton expressed interest in job openings in the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Labor Relations, the Department of Correction and the Trial Court, among others, according to a court document.

Lawton was appointed as a probation officer at the family court in 2008. Sabaitis said she complained about what she saw as favoritism for Lawton and her concerns were relayed to Chief Justice of Administration and Management Robert Mulligan. Mulligan signed off on the hire after the concerns were raised, Sabaitis said under cross-examination.

Murray appears to have inquired about Lawton’s progress. Gannon said handwriting on a note in Lawton’s file looks like Murray’s. It says, “How are we doing on him?”

Murray’s office found out that Lawton would be appointed on the Friday before he was supposed to be offered the job, according to notes Gannon kept on a call from Edward Ryan, who was the legislative liaison for probation. Ryan wrote that Murray will tell “the judge’s wife” about it.

“I wanted to stop by and thank you for your generosity & kindness. It will never be forgotten. I hope you enjoy the flowers!” Lawton wrote to Gannon after he was offered the job in May. Gannon said Friday she did not specifically recall the flowers. Later in the month, Mulligan signed off on the hire, and an inter-office memo read “He should be all set.”

Gannon, who is being represented by famed defense attorney J.W. Carney, has a long history of constituent service work beginning with Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, the North Cambridge congressman who was speaker of the U.S. House from the Carter administration into much of the Reagan administration.

A lifelong Boston resident, Gannon said she had worked for O’Neill from 1967 until his death in 1994. After that she worked for South Boston Congressman Joe Moakley, then East Boston Sen. Robert Travaglini, following him into the president’s office. When Murray became president in 2007, Gannon stayed on in the office.

Page 3 of 3 - Lawton’s resume, which was also presented Friday, shows a work history that includes time as a patrolman on Chilmark, Martha’s Vineyard, a sales representative for the State Lottery about a decade ago, and W.B. Mason.

Lawton was suspended from his probation department job in May 2010 after he was arrested in Taunton on drug charges and later resigned, LaFrance testified previously.